On December 22, the Medical Humanitarian Organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in collaboration with the Khatlon Public Health Department held an inauguration ceremony for the newly rehabilitated AIDS Center in Khovaling district. Representatives from Khovaling local authorities, Khatlon Public Health Department, Republican AIDS Center as well as community members attended the event.
The Chairman of Khovaling District, Director of Republican AIDS Center and MSF Country Representative gave speeches during the opening ceremony.
It should be noted that Khovaling AIDS Center is located 70 km away from the Regional HIV Center of Kulob zone. This meant that community members had to travel far away in order to receive HIV /AIDS care. This situation is now resolved as the community has now access to diagnostic and treatment services in the AIDS Center located in their own district, close to their homes.
The newly rehabilitated AIDS center consists of six rooms including the epidemiologist room, a lab and rooms for consultations. MSF has also equipped the center with essential furniture and equipment for the center to be operational and serve the population of Khovaling estimated at 55,300. On the same day, the Republican AIDS Center organized a Mobile Health Clinic in which free HIV testing was offered to community members who were willing to know their status.
MSF supports the implementation of “The National Program to fight against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2017-2020” in Kulob region. Through collaborative partnership with the representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population of the country in the Kulob region, MSF contributes to reducing Tajikistan’s HIV burden with a particular focus on children living with HIV and their family members. The programme focuses on active case finding, comprehensive care including diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections, psychosocial support, prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and risk reduction of nosocomial transmission.
